Federal Budget Cuts Reveal Strong Disconnect

The President has recognized that there are millions of vacant jobs in the country, and he says he wants to get people back to work. But this budget says otherwise. With proposed program eliminations and reductions just shy of $1 billion, it would seriously undercut our system’s ability to deliver workforce training in 2018.

Elimination of employment service grants, coupled with reduction of adult, dislocated worker and youth allocations, will directly impact our ability to maintain a physical presence and a consistent level of service for the thousands of job seekers and employers that we serve.

Please join us in asking our congressional representatives to oppose any budget cuts to the programs listed above by adding your name to the letter below.

As your subcommittees consider the Fiscal Year 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request that you fully fund the Title I and Title II accounts at the level authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA):

Title I – Department of Labor
$861.1 million for the Adult Account$922.2 million for the Youth Account, and$1.37 billion for the Dislocated Worker Account

Title II – Department of Education$649.287 million for Adult Education

As you are aware, employers across the nation are struggling to find and retain skilled workers. So you can imagine our concern and frustration over the program eliminations and reductions proposed in the draft House bill. The nearly $1 billion reduction in workforce-related funding would reduce the number of people in skill development programs (including apprenticeships), diminish support services to help people stay in education or employment and decrease employer outreach.

It would eliminate the very programs and services that employers and job seekers need most.

Workforce training and support is vital to creating thriving businesses, communities and economies. We urge you to fund the Department of Labor Title I Accounts at the levels authorized by WIOA in the Fiscal Year 2018 LHHS appropriations bill.

If you believe that a qualified workforce is the key to a strong local and national economy, please join us in communicating our opposition to these cuts. Click Here to sign the letter and support our efforts to keep workforce funding a budget priority. You can also download this sample letter to edit and send directly to the Appropriations Subcommittee.